Yunnan Province

Southwest China’s Yunnan province is located in the middle reaches of the renowned Lancang–Mekong River. It borders Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, and is close to Thailand, Cambodia, India and Bangladesh, making it China’s gateway to South and Southeast Asia. As a home to 25 ethnic minority groups, 15 of which are unique to Yunnan, the province is a spectacularly diverse region.

Yunnan is also famed for its enchanting landscapes and climate known as ‘the eternal spring’ due to its average altitude of 2,500 – 3,000 metres. However, in reality, the province’s climate is every bit as diverse as its people, demonstrated by its snow-capped mountains and glaciers in the north and vast tropical rainforests in its south.

The Stone ForestLess than 80 kilometres from Yunnan’s provincial capital Kunming is a Global Geopark, known to everyone in China as the ‘Stone Forest’ due to its forest of pillar-like karst landforms that are 200 million years old. Every year the magnificent Torch Festival of the Yi people is held here on 24th day of the sixth lunar month.

The ancient town of LijiangThe ancient town of Lijiang was built in the early Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) on a plateau where the Naxi people still live in compact communities. The centre of town is Sifang Street and the lanes surrounding it. With rivers running through it, water is a strong feature in this picturesque place, which was listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1997.

Meili Snow MountainDiqing prefecture has 13 peaks that exceed 6,000 metres, including Meili Snow Mountain. In Tibetan Buddhism, Meili Snow Mountain is the holiest among the eight sacred mountains of the Tibetan-inhabited regions. It includes Peak Kawagebo which, at 6,740 metres tall, is the highest peak in Yunnan province.

XishuangbannaXishuangbanna is a seductive and charming international eco-tourist destination. It is contiguous to Laos and Myanmar, and close to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. A green paradise brimming with infinite charm, the region is widely known as the ’animal kingdom’ and ‘an emerald on the belt of Earth‘. It has a colourful ethnic minority culture and abundant natural resources.

Ethnic minority festivals and celebrationsWith more ethnic minority groups than any other Chinese province, Yunnan has no shortage of cultural festivals and celebrations. A total of 400 are celebrated here, and while each is unique, all showcase the traditional dress, songs and dance of the ethnic groups in Yunnan. They’re also usually fun and colourful events in which young people flirt and everyone participates in games.